Container with resealable inner package

ABSTRACT

A container ( 10; 60 ) comprises a housing ( 12; 62 ) comprising a box ( 14; 64 ) and a lid ( 16; 66 ) hinged to the box. An inner package ( 18; 68, 70 ) of consumer goods is housed in the box and comprises: an upper opening ( 20 ) through which goods can be removed when the lid ( 16 ) is in the open position; and a cover flap ( 22; 72, 74 ) occluding the opening. The container further comprises a single reclosable adhesive label ( 24; 76 ) releasably affixed to the inner package ( 18; 68, 70 ). The reclosable label ( 24; 76 ) extends beyond the periphery of the opening and is affixed to the inner package ( 18; 68, 70 ) so as to at least partly overlie the cover flap ( 22; 72, 74 ) by means of a resealable adhesive provided on a first area of the inner surface of the reclosable label ( 24; 76 ) extending about at least a front edge of the opening. A front tab of the reclosable label ( 24; 76 ) is permanently affixed to the lid ( 16 ), such that upon opening the lid ( 16 ) the reclosable label ( 24; 76 ) is lifted off the inner package to reveal the cover flap ( 22; 72, 74 ).

The present invention relates to a container for consumer goods comprising an outer hinge lid box and two or more inner packages of consumer goods. In particular, the container of the present invention finds application as a container for elongate consumer good items, such as smoking articles.

Smoking articles are typically packaged in rigid hinge-lid containers. The bundle of smoking articles housed in the box is commonly wrapped in an inner liner, or package, of metallised paper, metal foil or other flexible sheet material. A sealed condition of the inner package is appreciated by consumers as proof that the goods inside the package are preserved in a fresh state at least until the first opening of the container.

Containers are known, for example from WO-A-2008/142540 (GD), wherein smoking articles are enclosed in an inner package with an extraction opening removably closed by a cover flap that is releasably affixed to the inner package using non-dry adhesive applied to the underside of the cover flap. This makes the inner package resealable. A portion of the cover flap is glued permanently and non-removably to an inner surface of the front wall of the lid so that opening and closing of the lid results in the simultaneous opening and closing of the cover flap and the extraction opening can be revealed and covered repeatedly.

Further, containers comprising two or more internal compartments, each housing a respective bundle of smoking articles wrapped in an inner package are also known. This gives the consumer the desirable opportunity to access and use the goods in one package, while the goods in the other package or packages are independently preserved in a fresh state.

It would be desirable to provide a container for consumer goods with enhanced usability and further facilitating a personalised user's experience. Further, it would be desirable to provide conditions under which the consumer's goods housed within a container are preserved in a fresh state for as long as possible.

It would be desirable to provide a container for consumer goods that addresses the needs identified above. In addition, it would be desirable to provide a container for consumer goods that provides the consumer with an easier and customised way of accessing the goods within the container. At the same time, it would be particularly desirable to provide one such container that can be readily manufactured using existing high speed manufacturing techniques with minimal modification.

According to the present invention there is provided a container for consumer goods comprising an outer housing, the outer housing comprising a box and a lid hinged to the box along a hinge line extending across a back wall of the outer housing and pivotable about the hinge line between an open position and a closed position; and an inner package of consumer goods. The inner package is housed in the box and comprises an upper access opening through which consumer goods can be removed when the lid of the outer housing is in the open position. Further, the inner package comprises a cover flap occluding the upper access opening of the inner package. The container further comprises a single reclosable adhesive label releasably affixed to the inner package and at least partially overlying the cover flap of the inner package. The reclosable adhesive label extends beyond the periphery of the access opening of the inner package and is affixed to the inner package so as to at least partly overlie the cover flap by means of a resealable adhesive provided on a first area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label extending about at least a front edge of the access opening. A bottom tab of the reclosable adhesive label is permanently affixed to a surface of the lid of the outer housing, such that upon opening the lid the reclosable adhesive label is lifted off the inner package to at least partly reveal the cover flap.

As used herein, the terms “front”, “back”, “upper”, “lower”, “top”, “bottom” and “side”, refer to the relative positions of portions of containers according to the invention and components thereof when the container is in an upright position with the lid of the outer housing in the closed position and the hinge line at the back of the container. When describing containers according to the present invention, these terms are used irrespective of the orientation of the container being described. The back wall of the outer housing is the wall comprising the hinge line. The access opening of the inner package is arranged in an upper portion of the inner package, such that the access opening extends at least partly across a top wall of the inner package. Where the whole of the access opening is formed in the top wall of the inner package, the front edge of the access opening is in a front portion of the top wall of the inner package. Where the access opening extends across the top wall and the front wall of the inner package, the front edge of the access opening is also the lower edge of the access opening and is located in a upper portion of the front wall of the inner package.

The term “inner surface” is used throughout the specification to refer to the surface of a component of the assembled container that is facing towards the interior of the container, for example towards the consumer goods, when the container is in the closed position. Likewise, the term “outer surface” is used throughout the specification to refer to the surface of a component of the container that is facing towards the exterior of the container. For example, the reclosable adhesive label comprises an outer surface that is facing the outer housing of the container and an inner surface that is facing the inside of the inner package and the consumer goods. It should be noted that the inside or outside surface is not necessarily equivalent to a certain side of a blank used in assembly of the container. Depending on how the blank is folded around the consumer goods, areas that are on the same side of the container can either face towards the inside or the towards the outside of the container.

The term “hinge line” refers to a line about which the lid may be pivoted in order to open the container. A hinge line may be, for example, a fold line or a score line in the panel forming the back wall of the container.

As used herein, the term “activatable” is used to describe an adhesive element that is supplied to the consumer in a non-tacky state, such that it is unable to stick to another component of the container. An activatable adhesive element requires some form of activation on the part of the consumer to be brought into a tacky state for application to another component.

Throughout the present specification, the term “selectively activated” is used to describe an adhesive element that the consumer can choose to bring from a non-tacky state into a tacky state by performing an activating (i.e. state-changing) operation on the adhesive. Depending on the nature and structure of the adhesive element, different activation mechanisms are possible. An activatable adhesive element can be provided as a tacky adhesive that is protected by a covering element so that it cannot be stuck to another component of the container because direct cooperation of the adhesive element with another surface is prevented. Thus, the adhesive element can be mechanically activated by removing the protecting covering element and exposing the adhesive element to the environment. As an alternative, an activatable adhesive element can be provided as an unprotected, non-tacky substrate that can be made tacky by supply of moisture, heat, pressure, and so forth.

The term “longitudinal” refers to a direction from bottom to top or vice versa. The term “transverse” refers to a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

The term “width” is used to describe the dimension of an element of a label or flap of a container as measured in the transverse direction. The term “height” is used to describe the dimension of an element of a label or flap of a container as measured in a direction perpendicular to the width of the element. When describing a label or elements of a label, reference is generally made to the label in a flat state.

In a container according to the present invention, an inner package of consumer goods is received in a hinge lid outer housing. The inner package has an upper access opening through which consumer goods can be removed when the lid of the outer housing is in an open position. In contrast to existing containers, the inner package comprises a cover flap occluding the access opening and the container further comprises a single reclosable adhesive label releasably affixed to the inner package and at least partially overlying the cover flap. The reclosable adhesive label extends beyond the periphery of the access opening of the inner package and is affixed to the inner package and to its cover flap by means of a resealable adhesive provided on a first area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label extending about at least the front edge of the access opening. Further, a front tab of the reclosable adhesive label is permanently affixed to a surface of the lid of the outer housing, such that upon opening the lid the reclosable adhesive label is lifted off the inner packages to at least partly expose the cover flap. In addition, the cover flap is completely removable from the inner package.

Thus, the reclosable adhesive label provides a second protective layer over the cover flap, such that the freshness of the consumer goods is preserved by a double barrier against, such as may be the case with substances associated with flavours or fragrances.

In order to gain access to the content of the inner package, the consumer needs to at least partly peel the cover flap off the inner package to expose the underlying access opening. Accordingly, the freshness of the consumer goods in the inner package is advantageously preserved until such moment. Further, in embodiments comprising one or more further inner packages, the freshness of the consumer goods contained in such further inner packages housed within the same outer housing may be preserved for longer, as the consumer uses up the goods contained within the inner package or packages that have been accessed at least once. This advantageously helps preserve the freshness of the consumer goods within the container over an extended period of time.

The consumer is offered the opportunity to verify personally the quality of the sealing of the inner packages upon opening the container for the first time. Further, the consumer is given the freedom to choose whether to remove the cover flap in its entirety, so that the opening and closing of a given inner package is made fully “automatic” in that it relies solely on the reclosable adhesive label, or to manually open and reclose the cover flap every time, such that the double layer protection continues to be available.

In addition, in embodiments comprising one or more further inner packages, wherein different inner packages contain goods of different types, the consumer can advantageously select which type of goods to consume first, or for which inner package make the opening and closing of the cover flap “automatic”.

In general, the invention allows for the provision of a novel container that is associated with an interesting, novel routine for the consumer. This can advantageously result in an unusual, customisable and distinctive product. In particular, embodiments comprising one or more further inner packages provide the consumer with an increased number of alternative ways of using the container, as will become apparent from the following description.

In its most general terms a container according to the present invention comprises an outer housing and an inner package of consumer goods. The outer housing comprises a box and a lid hinged to the box along a hinge line extending across a back wall of the outer housing and pivotable about the hinge line between an open position and a closed position. The inner package is housed in the box and comprises an upper access opening through which consumer goods can be removed when the lid of the outer housing is in the open position. Further, the inner package comprises a cover flap occluding the upper access opening of the inner package. The container further comprises a single reclosable adhesive label releasably affixed to the inner package and at least partially overlying the cover flap of the inner package. The reclosable adhesive label extends beyond the periphery of the access opening of the inner package and is affixed to the inner package so as to at least partly overlie the cover flap by means of a resealable adhesive provided on a first area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label extending about at least a front edge of the access opening. A front tab of the reclosable adhesive label is permanently affixed to a surface of the lid of the outer housing, such that upon opening the lid the reclosable adhesive label is lifted off the inner package to at least partly reveal the cover flap. Preferably, the front tab of the reclosable adhesive label is permanently affixed to the inner surface of a front wall of the lid. Further, the cover flap is completely removable from the inner package.

Preferably, the reclosable adhesive label is permanently affixed to a connection portion of the inner package by means of a permanent adhesive provided on a second area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label. In the inner package the connection portion is adjacent the upper access opening of the inner package and located at the back of a top wall of the inner package. This is so the reclosable adhesive label is secured to the inner package and the second area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label effectively functions as a hinge about which the reclosable adhesive label is pivotable between a closed position, wherein it lies against the cover flap and the top wall of the inner package, and an open position, wherein it is raised from the plane of the top wall of the inner package, so that the cover flap is exposed to the consumer. Because the reclosable adhesive label is permanently secured to the inner package, it is easy for the consumer to move the label between its closed and open positions a significant number of times without ever compromising the opportunity to reseal the inner package.

More preferably, a third area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label disposed between the first and second areas is substantially free of adhesive. Providing an adhesive-free area between the (second) area permanently affixed to the inner packages and the (first) area releasably affixed over the package and the cover flap advantageously ensures that the reclosable adhesive label is never permanently affixed to the cover flaps. Accordingly, the cover flap may easily be detached from the inner package in its entirety without interfering with the connection between the reclosable label and the respective inner package.

Preferably, a height of the third area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label is at least about 1 mm. More preferably, a height of the third area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label is at least about 2 mm. In addition, or as an alternative, a height of the third area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label is preferably less than about 12 mm. More preferably, the height of the third area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label is less than about 8 mm. In preferred embodiments, a height of the third area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label is from about 2 mm to about 8 mm.

In some embodiments, the box internally defines two or more volume portions, the inner package being housed in one of the volume portions. The container comprises at least one further inner package of consumer goods, the further inner package being housed in another one of the volume portions of the box and comprising a respective upper access opening through which consumer goods can be removed when the lid of the outer housing is in the open position.

Preferably, the two or more volume portions are adjacent in a side to side configuration, such that the access openings of the two or more inner packages received in the volume portions are aligned along a transverse axis of the outer housing. In other words, the access opening of an inner package is to the left or to the right of the access opening of another inner package. As an alternative, the two or more volume portions may be adjacent in a front to back configuration, such that the access openings of the two or more inner packages received in the volume portions are aligned along a direction perpendicular to a transverse axis of the outer housing. In other words, the access opening of an inner package is to the front or to the back of the access opening of another inner package.

Where a further inner package is not provided with a cover flap, when the lid of the outer housing is opened and the reclosable adhesive label is lifted off the inner packages for the first time, the upper opening of the further inner package is exposed, such that the consumer can access the consumer goods contained therein, whereas the upper opening of the (first) inner package is occluded by the cover flap. Accordingly, the consumer may first use up the goods contained in the further inner package, whilst the goods contained in the (first) inner package may be preserved for longer under the combined protection of the cover flap and the resealable adhesive label. At the same time, when the lid is reclosed, the reclosable adhesive label effectively reseals the upper opening of the further inner package, such that the consumer goods within the further inner package are however preserved between consecutive accesses of the consumer to the inner packages. Thus, one such container may advantageously help preserve the freshness of the consumer goods within the container over an extended period of time.

Preferably, the further inner package comprises a respective cover flap occluding the upper access opening of the further inner package, the single reclosable adhesive label at least partially overlying the cover flap of the further inner package by means of the resealable adhesive. In such embodiments, the outer housing contains two or more inner packages, each of which has an upper access opening occluded by a respective cover flap. Thus, each inner package is provided with a dual protective structure for preserving the freshness of the consumer articles contained within each package, and, as shall become even more apparent below, the consumer is afforded the greatest flexibility of use. In fact, once the lid is opened for the first time, the reclosable adhesive label is lifted off the inner packages and the cover flaps are exposed, with each inner package being essentially usable independently of the other inner package or packages in the container.

In some preferred embodiments, the cover flap occluding the upper access opening of an inner package or further inner package comprises a cover adhesive label at least partially releasably affixed to the respective inner package or further inner package by a resealable adhesive provided on a first area of the inner surface of the cover adhesive label extending about at least the front edge of the access opening of the inner package or the further inner package. Thus, in each inner package provided with one such cover flap, the dual protective structure comprises two resealable layers.

Because the cover flap is completely removable from the inner package or the further inner package, the consumer can effectively customise the container. Accordingly, the consumer can advantageously choose whether to maintain the dual protective structure on an inner package or to make the opening of said inner package effectively automatic and resulting directly from the opening of the lid and lifting off of the reclosable adhesive label. Further, where the container comprises two or more inner packages, the consumer can choose to remove the cover flap from one inner package at a time as he consumes the goods from said inner package before moving on to the next one.

The reclosable adhesive label may comprise an adhesive-free area corresponding in shape and size to the access opening in the inner package. Thus, when the cover flap is removed and the lid is in the closed position with the adhesive label sealed to the inner package, this adhesive-free area covers the access opening in the inner package. This will prevent dust or small particles, for example tobacco shorts or other residue from the consumer goods within the package, from adhering to the reclosable adhesive label. This may happen, for example, if the adhesive label comes into contact with the consumer goods within the inner package.

In some embodiments, a front tab of the cover flap is folded along a fold line by about 180 degrees onto the remainder of the cover flap. This is advantageous in that it makes it easy for the consumer to pull on the front tab to peel the cover flap off its respective inner package, both when the cover flap is meant to be reclosable and when the cover flap is entirely removable from the inner package. Preferably, the folded front tab of the cover flap is substantially free of adhesive. This advantageously ensures that the cover flap does not accidentally get stuck to the reclosable adhesive label or to a surface of the outer housing.

In those embodiments where the cover flap extends across the top wall and the front wall of the inner package, the front tab is effectively also a bottom tab of the cover flap and, when folded by about 180 degrees against the remainder of the cover flap it lies substantially in a vertical plane parallel to a front wall of the lid, when the lid is in the closed position. This makes it particularly easy for the consumer to peel the cover flap off the inner package by pulling the front tab upwards. In those embodiments where the cover flap extends only across the top wall of the inner package, when folded by about 180 degrees against the remainder of the cover flap, the front tab lies substantially in a horizontal plan parallel to a top wall of the lid, when the lid is in the closed position.

Preferably, the fold line along which the front tab of the cover flap is folded is below an upper edge of a front wall of the box. If an inner frame is received within the box of the outer housing, and a front wall of the inner frame extends beyond the upper edge of the front wall of the box, the fold line along which the front tab of the cover flap is folded is below an upper edge of the front wall of the inner frame. This advantageously allows for a greater surface area of the access opening, such that the access opening extends across the top wall and the front wall of the inner package and the first area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label may extend all the way down to the upper edge of the front wall of the box or of the inner frame. At the same time, this allows for a longer cover flap. Such arrangement has the additional advantage that, during manufacturing, the folded front tab of the cover flap does not stick to, and cannot interfere with, other elements of the container, but is snugly kept parallel to the inner package.

Preferably, the container comprises an activatable, permanent adhesive element provided on the outer surface of a front tab of the cover flap, wherein the adhesive element can be selectively activated and the front tab can be affixed to the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label, such that upon opening the lid the cover flap is lifted off the inner package to at least partly reveal the access opening. This is advantageous in that it provides the user with an additional option for customising the container, whereby the cover flap may be structurally connected with the reclosable adhesive label and opening and closing of the cover flap may be made “automatic”. In practice, upon moving the lid of the outer housing between the closed and open positions, also the reclosable adhesive label and any cover flap affixed to the reclosable adhesive label are also moved between the respective closed and open positions. Accordingly, the consumer can continue to rely on the combined effect of reclosable adhesive label and cover flap or flaps for preserving the goods housed within the inner package or packages, whilst at the same time enjoying the ease of use afforded by the reclosable adhesive label secured to the lid. Where the front tab of the cover flap is folded by about 180 degrees as described above, the outer surface of the front tab is the surface facing the inner surface of the lid.

In some embodiments, the adhesive element is protected by a layer of backing material and the layer of backing material can be removed to expose and thereby activate the adhesive element. As an alternative, the adhesive element may be a pressure sensitive adhesive or a moisture activatable adhesive or a heat activatable adhesive.

Preferably, in embodiments where the container comprises an activatable, permanent adhesive element on the outer surface of the front tab, a fourth area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label which, when the lid is in the closed position, overlies the front tab of the cover flap is substantially free of adhesive. This is so it is ensured that the front tab of the cover flap will not accidentally stick to the reclosable adhesive label. Further, where the adhesive element is mechanically protected by a layer of backing material, this ensures that the layer of backing material is not accidentally removed by becoming stuck to the reclosable adhesive label. More preferably, a height of the fourth area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label is at least about 1 mm. Even more preferably, a height of the fourth area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label is at least about 2 mm. In addition, or as an alternative, a height of the fourth area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label is preferably less than about 12 mm. More preferably, a height of the fourth area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label is less than about 8 mm. In preferred embodiments, a height of the fourth area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label is from about 2 mm to about 8 mm.

In addition, or as a further alternative, the height of the fourth area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label is at least 1 mm greater than a height of the front tab of the cover flap.

Containers according to the present invention find application as containers for consumer goods, in particular elongate consumer goods such as smoking articles. However, they can also be used for several other types of consumer goods.

The outer housing may be formed from a blank of any suitable material or combination of materials, including, but not limited to, cardboard, paperboard, plastic, metal, or combinations thereof. Preferably, the blank is a laminar cardboard blank having a weight of between about 100 grams per square metre and about 350 grams per square metre.

The container may optionally comprise an outer wrapper, which is preferably a transparent polymeric film of, for example, high or low density polyethylene, polypropylene, oriented polypropylene, polyvinylidene chloride, cellulose film, or combinations thereof and the outer wrapper is applied in a conventional manner. The outer wrapper may include a tear tape. In addition, the outer wrapper may be printed with images, consumer information or other data.

The inner package is preferably formed of metal foil or metallised paper. The inner package material may be formed as a laminate of a metallised polyethylene film, and a liner material. The liner material may be a super-calendered glassine paper. In addition, the inner package material may be provided with a print-receptive top coating.

Suitable materials for the reclosable adhesive label and the cover flap will be known to the skilled person. Similarly, several resealable and permanent adhesives suitable for use in a container according to the present invention are commercially available and will be known to the skilled person.

The outer housing is preferably a rectangular parallelepiped comprising two wider walls spaced apart by two narrower walls. Hinge lid housings of containers according to the invention may be in the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped, with right-angled longitudinal and right-angled transverse edges. Alternatively, the hinge lid housing may comprise one or more rounded longitudinal edges, rounded transverse edges, bevelled longitudinal edges or bevelled transverse edges, or combinations thereof.

The invention will now be further described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a container in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic top view of the inner surface of an adhesive label used in a container in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of the outer surface of the adhesive label of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic top view of a cover flap used in a container in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a schematic top view of the access opening of a container in accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a further embodiment of a container in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a container 10 in accordance with the present invention. The container 10 comprises an outer housing 12 which is a rectangular parallelepiped and includes a box 14 and a lid 16. The lid 16 is hinged about a hinge line extending across a back wall of the housing 12 and is pivotable between an open position (as shown in FIG. 1) and a closed position. Further, the container 10 comprises an inner package 18 of smoking articles housed in the box 14. The inner package 18 comprises an access opening 20 (shown schematically in FIG. 5) extending across the top wall and the front wall of the inner package. The smoking articles contained in the inner package 18 can be removed through the access opening when the lid 16 is in the open position. The inner package comprises a cover flap 22 occluding the access opening 20. Further, the container comprises a single reclosable adhesive label 24 releasably affixed to the inner package 18. When the lid is in the closed position, the reclosable adhesive label 24 overlies the cover flap 22.

As illustrated in FIG. 5, the reclosable adhesive label 24 extends beyond the periphery of the access opening 20 and is affixed to the inner package 18 so as to at least partly overlie the cover flap 22 (as shown schematically in FIG. 4) by means of a resealable adhesive provided on a first area 40 of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label 24 extending about at least a front edge 26 of the access opening 20.

A front tab 42 of the reclosable adhesive label is permanently affixed to a surface of the lid 14 of the outer housing 12. As shown schematically in FIG. 3, this is achieved by providing a permanent adhesive on an area 50 of the outer surface of the reclosable adhesive label. Thus, upon opening the lid 14 the reclosable adhesive label 24 is lifted off the inner package 18 to at least partly reveal the opening 20.

The reclosable adhesive label 24 is permanently affixed to a connection portion of the inner package 18 by means of a permanent adhesive provided on a second area 44 of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label 24 (see FIG. 2). In the inner package 18 the connection portion is adjacent the upper access opening 20 of the inner package and located at the back of a top wall of the inner package. A third area 46 of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label disposed between the first area 40 and the second area 44 is substantially free of adhesive. A height of the third area 46 is about 2 mm.

The cover flap 22 comprises a cover adhesive label at least partially releasably affixed to the inner package by a resealable adhesive provided on a first area of the inner surface of the cover adhesive label extending about at least the front edge of the access opening of the inner package 18. The cover flap 22 is entirely removable from the inner package 18. The consumer may conveniently pull on a front tab 23 of the cover flap, the inner surface of which is free of adhesive so that it does not stick to the outer surface of the inner package 18. A fourth area 48 of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label 24 which, when the lid is in the closed position, overlies the front tab 23 of the cover flap 22 is substantially free of adhesive.

FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of a container 60 in accordance with the present invention. The container 60 comprises an outer housing 62 including a box 64 and a lid 66 hinged about a hinge line extending across a back wall of the outer housing 62 and pivotable between an open position (as shown in FIG. 6) and a closed position. The container 60 comprises a first and a second inner packages 68, 70, each of which comprises an upper access opening (not shown). The inner packages 68, 70 comprise respective cover flaps 72, 74 occluding the respective openings. Further, the container 60 comprises a single reclosable adhesive label 76, which is releasably affixed to both inner packages 68, 70 and overlies the cover flaps 72, 74. In more detail, the reclosable adhesive label 76 extends beyond the peripheries of both access openings of the inner packages 68, 70 and is affixed to the inner packages so as to overlie the cover flaps 72, 74 by means of a resealable adhesive provided on an area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label extending about at least the front edges of the access openings.

Front tabs 78, 80 of the cover flaps 72, 74 are folded by about 180 degrees against the remainder of the respective cover flaps. A permanent adhesive element is provided on the outer surface of each one of the front tabs 78, 80. Each one of such adhesive elements can be selectively activated, such that each front tab 78, 80 can independently be affixed to the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label 76, such that upon opening the lid 66 the respective cover flap 72, 74 is lifted off the respective inner package 68, 70 to at least partly reveal the underlying access opening.

In an alternative embodiment (not shown) a container in accordance with the present invention is almost identical to the container 60 of FIG. 6, and differs from the container 60 in that only a first one of the two inner packages comprises a cover flap occluding the respective access opening. By contrast, the access opening of the second inner package is only covered by the reclosable adhesive label and so, when the lid is opened for the first time, access to the content of the second inner package is automatically granted to the consumer. The consumer may thus use up the goods within the second package, whilst the cover flap continues to afford a dual protection to the content of the first inner package, until the consumer chooses to remove the cover flap. 

1. A container for consumer goods comprising: an outer housing comprising: a box; and a lid hinged to the box along a hinge line extending across a back wall of the outer housing and pivotable about the hinge line between an open position and a closed position; an inner package of consumer goods, the inner package being housed in the box and comprising an upper access opening through which consumer goods can be removed when the lid of the outer housing is in the open position; wherein the inner package comprises a cover flap occluding the upper access opening of the inner package; wherein the container further comprises a single reclosable adhesive label releasably affixed to the inner package and at least partially overlying the cover flap of the inner package, the reclosable adhesive label extending beyond the periphery of the access opening of the inner package and being affixed to the inner package so as to at least partly overlie the cover flap by means of a resealable adhesive provided on a first area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label extending about at least a front edge of the access opening; wherein a front tab of the reclosable adhesive label is permanently affixed to a surface of the lid of the outer housing, such that upon opening the lid the reclosable adhesive label is lifted off the inner package to at least partly reveal the cover flap; and wherein the cover flap is completely removable from the inner package.
 2. The container according to claim 1, wherein the reclosable adhesive label is permanently affixed to a connection portion of the inner package by a permanent adhesive provided on a second area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label, wherein in the inner package the connection portion is adjacent the upper access opening of the inner package and located at the back of a top wall of the inner package.
 3. The container according to claim 2, wherein a third area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label disposed between the first and second areas is substantially free of adhesive.
 4. The container according to claim 3, wherein a height of the third area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label is at least about 1 mm.
 5. The container according to claim 1, wherein the box internally defines two or more volume portions, the inner package being housed in one of the volume portions; the container comprising at least one further inner package of consumer goods, the further inner package being housed in another one of the volume portions of the box and comprising a respective upper access opening through which consumer goods can be removed when the lid of the outer housing is in the open position.
 6. The container according to claim 5, wherein the further inner package comprises a respective cover flap occluding the upper access opening of the further inner package, the single reclosable adhesive label being releasably affixed to the further inner package and at least partially overlying the cover flap of the further inner package, the reclosable adhesive label extending beyond the periphery of the access opening of the further inner package and being affixed to the further inner package so as to at least partly overlie the respective cover flap by a resealable adhesive provided on an area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label extending about at least a front edge of the access opening of the further inner package.
 7. The container according to claim 1, wherein the cover flap comprises a cover adhesive label at least partially releasably affixed to the inner package by a resealable adhesive provided on a first area of the inner surface of the cover adhesive label extending about at least a front edge of the access opening of the inner package.
 8. The container according to claim 1, wherein a front tab of the cover flap is folded along a fold line by about 180 degrees onto the remainder of the cover flap.
 9. The container according to claim 8 comprising an activatable, permanent adhesive element provided on the outer surface of the front tab, wherein the adhesive element can be selectively activated and the front tab can be affixed to the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label, such that upon opening the lid the cover flap is lifted off the inner package to at least partly reveal the access opening.
 10. The container according to claim 9, wherein the adhesive element is protected by a layer of backing material and the layer of backing material can be removed to expose and thereby activate the adhesive element.
 11. A container according to claim 8, wherein a fourth area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label which, when the lid is in the closed position, overlies the front tab of the cover flap is substantially free of adhesive.
 12. The container according to claim 8, wherein the fold line along which the front tab of the cover flap is folded is below an upper edge of a front wall of the box or below an upper edge of a front wall of an inner frame received within the box, wherein the front wall of the inner frame extends beyond the upper edge of the front wall of the box.
 13. The container according to claim 11, wherein a height of the third area of the inner surface of the reclosable adhesive label is at least about 1 mm greater than a height of the front tab of the cover flap.
 14. The container according to claim 1, wherein the consumer goods are smoking articles. 